While homocysteine is a major risk factor for dementia, researchers have found another factor that is an even stronger link.
A large study on 10,276 (spanning 27 years) Californians has revealed that the heavier you are in middle age, the greater your risk of Alzheimers and dementia. Using body mass index, the researchers found that being overweight increases your risk about 35% and obesity more than doubles that risk to 74%. The most telling indicator, however, was the skin-fold test.
This is simply how much tissue is between your fingers if you roll up the skin of your abdomen. The risk was even worse for women than men. Their risk doubled, while the risk for obese men went up merely 30%.
You can now see that dementia can be prevented. That is a great incentive to lose weight. And an ounce of prevention is worth far more than any treatment.
Ref: British Medical Journal, April 29, 2005.